Radiative heating and radiative feed modification systems and methods using microwave, radio frequency, magnetic field and ultrasound in membrane separation processes including membrane distillation (MD), reverse osmosis, forward osmosis and pervaporation are disclosed. Membrane distillation systems include at least one MD module, the MD module having at least one membrane, a feed inlet operable to receive a feed media and a feed outlet, and a radiative energy source operable to apply radiation to a feed media entering the feed inlet.

Provided is a method for separating, from a raw gas containing a specific gas, the specific gas using a gas separation membrane module. The gas separation membrane module includes a housing and a gas separation membrane element enclosed in the housing. The gas separation membrane element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer for selectively allowing for permeation of the specific gas. The method includes the steps of: increasing pressure in an interior of the gas separation membrane module; increasing a temperature in the interior of the gas separation membrane module; and feeding a raw gas to the interior of the gas separation membrane module in that order.

Provided is a method for separating, from a raw gas containing a specific gas, the specific gas using a gas separation membrane module. The gas separation membrane module includes a housing and a gas separation membrane element enclosed in the housing. The gas separation membrane element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer for selectively allowing for permeation of the specific gas. The method includes the steps of: increasing pressure in an interior of the gas separation membrane module; increasing a temperature in the interior of the gas separation membrane module; and feeding a raw gas to the interior of the gas separation membrane module in that order.

Provided is a method for separating a specific gas from a raw gas using a gas separation membrane module that includes a gas separation membrane element enclosed in a housing. The element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The method includes: preparing the module; increasing pressure in an interior of the module; increasing a temperature in the interior; and feeding a raw gas to the interior. The layer of the module prepared is adjusted to contain moisture, and a moisture content thereof is an amount that allows an equilibrium relative humidity at a temperature of 23? C. of a gas phase portion in the housing to be 10% RH or more. The raw gas feeding step is performed after the preparation step. The pressure increase step and the temperature increase step are performed after the preparation step and before the raw gas feeding step.

Provided is a method for separating a specific gas from a raw gas using a gas separation membrane module that includes a gas separation membrane element enclosed in a housing. The element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The method includes: preparing the module; increasing pressure in an interior of the module; increasing a temperature in the interior; and feeding a raw gas to the interior. The layer of the module prepared is adjusted to contain moisture, and a moisture content thereof is an amount that allows an equilibrium relative humidity at a temperature of 23? C. of a gas phase portion in the housing to be 10% RH or more. The raw gas feeding step is performed after the preparation step. The pressure increase step and the temperature increase step are performed after the preparation step and before the raw gas feeding step.

A method of concentrating a lithium-containing aqueous solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a water-permeable structure having an inner surface and outer surface, wherein at least said outer surface is coated with a water-permeable hydrophilic polymer having a thermal stability of at least 100? C.; and (ii) flowing a lithium-containing aqueous feed solution having an initial concentration of lithium over said inner surface while said outer surface is in contact with an aqueous draw solution containing a higher overall ion concentration than said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution, to result in forward osmosis of water from said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution to said aqueous draw solution, and wherein said forward osmosis results in a lithium-containing aqueous product solution having an increased concentration of lithium relative to the initial concentration of lithium in the lithium-containing aqueous feed solution.

A method of producing desalinated water and recovering minerals from the feedwater uses membrane separation and electrodialysis brine concentration. This process can recover all of the minerals as high purity industrial minerals, including capturing the calcium and sulfate as agricultural grade gypsum and boron as high purity boric acid. In addition the process allows the use of low cost lime or dolime to produce valuable magnesium hydroxide.

The present invention provides a device for separating and purifying the collagen Type 2 in chicken bones, comprising a liquid fluid container, a raw liquid container, a membrane separation tank, a mixing tube, two high pressure metering motors, a precooler, two preheaters, a temperature controller, two one-way valves, two inlet control valves and two outlet control valves. The liquid extract of defatted chicken bones discharged from the raw liquid container and the liquid CO2 discharged from the liquid fluid container can be mixed uniformly in the mixing tube, and then fed into the membrane separation tank. The membrane separation tank produces small-molecular-weight peptides and large-molecular-weight collagen Type 2 harmlessly and efficiently.

The present invention provides a device for separating and purifying the collagen Type 2 in chicken bones, comprising a liquid fluid container, a raw liquid container, a membrane separation tank, a mixing tube, two high pressure metering motors, a precooler, two preheaters, a temperature controller, two one-way valves, two inlet control valves and two outlet control valves. The liquid extract of defatted chicken bones discharged from the raw liquid container and the liquid CO2 discharged from the liquid fluid container can be mixed uniformly in the mixing tube, and then fed into the membrane separation tank. The membrane separation tank produces small-molecular-weight peptides and large-molecular-weight collagen Type 2 harmlessly and efficiently.

Certain disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods of preparing dialysate for use in a home dialysis system that is compact and light-weight relative to existing systems and consumes relatively low amounts of energy. The method includes coupling a household water stream to a dialysis system; filtering the water stream; heating the water stream to at least about 138 degrees Celsius in a non-batch process to produce a heated water stream; maintaining the heated water stream at or above at least about 138 degrees Celsius for at least about two seconds; cooling the heated water stream to produce a cooled water stream; ultrafiltering the cooled water stream; and mixing dialysate components into the cooled water stream in a non-batch process.